


Am I gay for Tsumugi?

by tsuchinokooolove



Series: Mankai Gossipers AU [2]
Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Tasuku is a dummy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-13
Updated: 2020-09-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 16:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,405
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26452042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tsuchinokooolove/pseuds/tsuchinokooolove
Summary: Tasuku wonders if he's gay for Tsumugi like everyone assumes, since he's a dummy and all.Azuma tries to help.
Relationships: Tachibana Izumi/Takatoo Tasuku, Tachibana Izumi/Tsukioka Tsumugi, Takatoo Tasuku & Tsukioka Tsumugi
Series: Mankai Gossipers AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922842
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	Am I gay for Tsumugi?

Tasuku's sitting on the sofa in the living room. He then lets out a loud, long sigh, which attracts the attention of a fellow Winter Troupe member who just entered the room.

"Something bothering you, Tasuku?" It's Azuma. The man sits across the table, sounding a bit concerned, but still wearing his signature calm and gentle smile.

"I-I think," Tasuku slowly turns to look at him and starts, "That I might be...g-gay...for...for Tsumugi." He finishes off with a hint of doubt, clearly struggling to admit it. Almost like he has spent the last twenty four hours doing nothing but think about it.

Azuma raises an eyebrow, amused, "It's great to know that...you like someone, or rather something else outside of acting, but why do you sound so unsure?"

"I heard the kids talk about it, and thought that, maybe-- maybe, they're right."

It's nothing new for Tasuku to overhear some of the Mankai members talk about him and Tsumugi. Most of them adores their friendship and Tasuku can respect that, because, why can't they? It doesn't often happen that friends go their separate ways, but still end up meeting each other again then recovers the friendship they once lost and reinforces it further.

Now, that's fine.

But, apparently, some of the Mankai kids think that he and Tsumugi are a couple. Like, _couple, couple._ And they're not simply shipping like how his old fan girls used to do with him and Haruto from the God Troupe. They really think that he and Tsumugi are dating.

He regrets ever hearing that, because now, it's getting to him, too. Great.

Tasuku recalls to Azuma the first time he heard it like it was yesterday.

_"I bet Tasuku-san and Tsumugi-san are secret lovers," Banri started, "Just look how close they are."_

_"They must be," Masumi added._

_"Are you sure, though," Taichi said with a tone full of uncertainty, "I mean, they're friends since forever. Of course they're that close!"_

_"I dunno, man, they're just giving me the gay vibes,_ especially _Tasuku-san," Banri replied, shrugging, "Not that it's a bad thing anyway."_

" _It's not a problem at all, but assuming their sexuality is kind of, uh,_ distasteful," _Sakuya cut in._

 _"Distasteful_ and _rude," Yuki added._

_"But he's not wrong, is he?" Tenma argued, "I mean, you see them, right?"_

_"W-we just have wait for them to tell us," Muku comments, "I'm sure they will when they're ready."_

"Do we really give off that kind of vibe?" Tasuku asks Azuma rhetorically. Or more like, whispers to himself, since the silver-haired barely heard him. Banri even mentioned _him_ especially. He just can't fathom it.

Azuma, on the other hand, just smiles after hearing Tasuku's story. It's a pretty well-known fact among the Mankai people that outside of Theatre and a few handyman skills, Tasuku can't do much shit, like, think for himself when it comes to other things. In this case, love and dating.

Like a newborn chick, he imprints on the first opinion he hears from the kids and believes that it's the correct answer, as if it's his mother hen.

"I'm sure there are other reasons why you agreed with them. Can you tell me about that?" Azuma probes.

Tasuku nods, but doesn't start speaking until after thirty seconds or so, the silver-haired enigma from the winter troupe notes. "Well, for starters, whenever Tsumugi's with the Director I feel _this...pang_ in my...uh, heart."

"Oh?" Azuma's right eyebrow is still in place, raised for about half-an-inch, "Can you elaborate on this, _pang_ that you feel?"

"I-I don't know," Tasuku blurts. "All I know is that, something tells me that he likes her, and I don't like it. Like how he blushes and stutters around her a lot," Tasuku _elaborates_. "And whenever Izumi smiles at him, my chest especially feels like it's about to...burst. Even just thinking about it pisses me off."

It's Azuma's turn to nod. He guesses Tasuku really is in love with Tsumu--

"--weirdly enough, it's specifically when he's with _the_ Director that I feel this way."

Azuma's right eyebrow is still raised, and he's pretty sure it can only rise further from here, "Go on."

"I tried observing Tsumugi yesterday, and when he's with other people, I don't feel that _pang._ I figured that it's because he doesn't like them," Tasuku goes on, "You know, because he doesn't blush around them like he does with Izumi."

Azuma has always doubted this before, but now, he agrees that Tasuku's the perfect example of a Himbo. He smiles, "Have you tried observing Izumi?"

It's Tasuku's turn to raise an eyebrow this time, "No?" He gives Azuma a look, as if asking why he would want to observe the cause of his pain, but at the same time, looking like he's trying so hard to deny the fact.

Well, technically, _she is_ the source of his pain, only for the exact opposite reason, Azuma thinks. So, he decides to help Tasuku out a bit, _but not too much_.

He'll guide Tasuku just enough for him to unravel his true feelings eventually, but not enough for him to realize it now. Oh, he can already imagine the entertainment he'll get out of this. "You should try it. It could help you in some way."

Tasuku doesn't understand how or why it could help his case, but Azuma's got natural instincts when it comes to these things, so he decides to do as he suggested.  
  


* * *

Tasuku joins Tsumugi and Izumi on one of their afternoon gardening sessions to observe them as planned.

And there they are again, looking so happy interacting with each other. Like they don't even need him there. He's glad that they're happy, but then again, he can't help feeling hurt inside. He can't control it. He just feels that way.

He wants to stare at the both of them to observe some more, but decides to stare at Tsumugi first to confirm his suspicions about his own sexuality.

He can tell that his best friend really likes the Director. The Winter troupe leader unconsciously bites his lip when she's not looking. And that slight reddening of his ears? A typical-Tsumugi-in-love.

Right now, he feels nothing but anger and contempt. _Oh no, this isn't good._ Like he wants to punch him and beat him up real good so he can stop grinning like an idiot. _Wait, what?_

"Am I...really gay for Tsumugi?" He asks himself in a barely audible whisper yet again.

"Tasuku?"

That familiar name brings him back. Of course it's Tsumugi. Oh, he and Izumi are both looking kind of concerned about him.

He then turns to stare at Izumi. She's looking directly at him. He can't help but stare back at her beautiful brown eyes, and her cute nose, and her perfectly supple and naturally pink lips. Her features had always been pretty, no, she has always been _gorgeous,_ especially up-close. Like, _super_ up-close and _really_ personal.

"Uhm, Tasuku-san...?" Izumi calls his name, looking a little bewildered and blushing, taking him out of his trance.

 _Wait, shit._ Tasuku steps back, realizing how close he is to her. One inch and their lips will meet for goodness' sake.

He looks at Tsumugi's direction to see his reaction, and boy, is his friend looking sad, and surprised. Somehow, he feels pleased about that, and realizes something. He mumbles with a relieved smile, "So I'm not gay for Tsumugi, huh."

Tsumugi and Izumi exchange looks, Tasuku sure likes to mumble to himself today.

"So, when are you going to ask the Director out?" Tasuku bluntly asks.

Tsumugi's face reddens at this and starts to stutter, "W-what are you t-talking about, T-Tacchan!?"

"W-where did that come from?" Izumi chuckles nervously, blushing.

"Huh," Tasuku mutters, "Okay then, if you're not going to, that means she's up for grabs." He then drags Izumi out of the room by hand, leaving a dumbfounded Tsumugi behind.

Tasuku realizes that once Tsumugi decides to actually go after Izumi, it will definitely be problem for him, but he doesn't care. He's still his friend, and just like with Theatre, he doesn't want him to give up.

But he's going to make sure he's not going down without a fight. Without fighting for Izumi.

Oh, and before he forgets, he's gonna need to thank Azuma later.

"Um, Tasuku-san? Where are we going?"

 _Shit._ Where was he taking her again?

**Author's Note:**

> Yep, it's a prologue on how Tasuku and Tsumugi's rivalry first started in my other fic, Mankai Youngster's Gossip. Hehe.
> 
> I don't think I did a decent job at this but I just had to post it as I couldn't sleep trying to write this up. Thanks so much for reading and hope you enjoyed it! ❤


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